Keen
to enter the market with a lightweight sporting amphibian,
Republic acquired the design of an aircraft in this category
from P. H. Spencer, a well-known designer of single-engine
amphibians. The resulting Republic RC-1 prototype was first
flown during 1945. In production form, as the RC-3 Seabee, this
airplane had four-seat accommodation and was powered by a
Franklin flat-six engine. Demand for the Seabee was enormous,
primarily because the company had underpriced it, and when
production was brought to an end in late 1947, a total of more
than 1,000 airplanes had been built. The company's order book
was then far from satisfied, but Republic could not afford to
sell each airplane at a considerable loss and, in any event, the
buyers would soon have disappeared had the Seabee been given a
realistic price tag. The RC-3 Seabee was powered by one Franklin
6A-215-B8F or B9F flat-six engine, giving the airplane a maximum
speed of 120 mph at 2,500 feet, service ceiling of 12,000 feet,
and a range of 360 miles.